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Portland Trail Blazers: Grading Neil Olshey’s past 5 Seasons

By Nathan Powers

Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey, Damian Lillard Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Portland Trail Blazers, Neil Olshey, Damian Lillard Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Portland Trail Blazers 2020 season

Re-signings:
Carmelo Anthony – 1 Year 2.5 Million
Rodney Hood – 2 Year 21 Million Second Year Non-Guaranteed

Players Lost:
Jaylen Adams
Wenyen Gabriel
Moses Brown
Jaylen Hoard
Caleb Swanigan
Hassan Whiteside

Additions:
Kelijin Blevins
Harry Giles – 1 Year Minimum
Derrick Jones Jr. – 2 Year 19 Million

Trades:
Mario Hezonja to Grizzlies for Enes Kanter (Three Team With Celtics)
Trevor Ariza, 2 1st round picks to Rockets for Robert Covington
Gary Trent/Rodney Hood to Raptors for Norman Powell

Draft:
CJ Elleby No. 46

This season had two important trades that shaped the season. Getting Robert Covington for 2 first-round picks in the offseason and getting Norman Powell at the trade deadline for fan-favorite Gary Trent.

Several of these moves are head scratches to me. I understand Melo coming back and he was good in his role. Rodney Hood getting a pay raise after getting injured was strange to me. During the offseason, Olshey went out and got 3 guys to help the team Derrick Jones Jr., Enes Kanter, and Robert Covington. Only 1 of those players could be played in any meaningful way in the playoffs, that is an indictment of his ability as a GM.

The Norman Powell move is the same deal made for Afflalo years ago that ended up being a train wreck. Getting rid of a young asset Gary Trent Jr. this time Will Barton last time for a rental of an older player. If Powell leaves for nothing in free agency that moves becomes a big loss.

All of the other deals were minor, getting a WSU player on the team in Elleby was exciting to me but beyond that, it was a disappointing offseason.

Grade: TBD currently D+

This all will hinge on what happens with Norman Powell, if he walks this is a disaster and potentially an F. If he stays then this will get bumped up a little bit. Gary Trent was a valuable asset and if Olshey only can get half a season of Norman Powell out of that asset he has no business being in charge of the Blazer’s.